Legend of the Lost Spirit
by PrettyLittleWreck
Summary: When Pitch Black returns, Man on Moon decides there needs to be another new Guardian. The only problem is, the spirit he has chosen has been missing for almost three hundred years. And when they do find her, she refuses to become a Guardian or protect the children of the world. Will Jack be able to change her mind? Rated for some language and because I'm paranoid.
1. Chapter 1

Legend of the Lost Spirit

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians! For those of you who've read my other story Winner Takes All, this story explains how Kaie became a Guardian and met Jack and the others. Also, just want to give a shout out to LittleRedRiddingWolf, who requested a Rise of the Guardians story. Thanks for requesting a story and helping me get this done. Without your request, I would have never finished it this quick. It would've just been sitting unfinished for months. Anyway, hope you all enjoy!**

Chapter 1

North called an emergency Guardian meeting and everyone hurried to the North Pole as soon as they saw the lights.

"What's going on? I saw the lights." Tooth fluttered around anxiously.

"It's Pitch. He's returned." North explained.

"So soon? It's only been six months since we last defeated him!"

"I know. Hopefully he still is weak. Easy to defeat, no?" North looked up when the doors burst open, revealing a freezing Bunnymund.

"Why'd you call us here, mate? It's snowing and I had to walk through it." He grumbled.

"Pitch has returned." Tooth said quickly.

"Pitch returned? But it's too soon, isn't it?" Jack came in through the window. Sandy, like six months ago, was the only one who noticed the Man on the Moon while they were all talking. He pulled on Jack's sleeve. The younger Guardian looked down at him.

"What's up, Sandy?" he grinned. Sandy pointed to the Moon.

"Uh…North? The Moon's talking to us." Jack said and everyone looked toward him.

"Another new Guardian?" Tooth asked excitedly.

"Please not the Groundhog." Bunny begged. The Moon showed a young girl, and the only thing it showed in color was her eyes-one emerald green and the other an exotic orange.

"The Lost Spirit. The Lost Spirit is the new Guardian?" Bunny asked, sounding annoyed.

"Lost Spirit?" Jack looked at him with a confused expression.

"Kaie Hayes. She's a winter spirit, like you, but she's been missin' for 290 years." Bunny explained.

"Missing? Missing how?"

"She disappeared. No one's seen her." Tooth said softly.

"And no one thought to go looking for her?"

"Tons of spirits did-we searched forever-and were still unable to find her." North said.

"So now we need to find her and make her a Guardian? That doesn't exactly sound logical."

"Doesn't matter. Many says we need her to defeat Pitch again." North said and so it was settled. They would split up-Bunny and Jack would search together, North and Sandy would search together, and Tooth would use all her fairies.

"We meet back here at midnight. Tooth and Sandy, if your jobs need you, you don't have to show up. Now go, everybody!" North announced and they all went to work.

"Alright, Frostbite, where do you think we should search?" Bunny asked.

"Why are you asking me?"

"You're the winter spirit-you'd know a lot more about her than I do."

"Well where was she last sighted?"

"London, I think."

"Right after Pitch lost all his power and went into hiding?"

"Yeah, I guess. Pitch didn't really go away for a good while until right after you were born, the same time Kaie went missin'."

"I think we should check Pitch's lair." Jack said. Bunny glanced at him.

"Why?"

"Think about it, Kangaroo; right before Pitch disappears for a long time, so does she. And Pitch was defeated not that long ago. Maybe if he has her held captive he can use her fear to gain strength quicker."

"That's a surprisingly good idea." Bunny looked impressed.

"Let's get moving. We don't have much time." Bunny made a tunnel near Pitch's lair and they raced through it. When they came out they quickly went into the lair, where Pitch was waiting for them.

"I see you've entered my humble home." he said smoothly.

"I'll distract him. You find Kaie." Bunny murmured to Jack. Jack nodded and sped off. Bunny's boomerang sliced through the nightmare that tried to stop him. While Bunny kept the nightmares from racing after Jack, Jack went through the lair, looking for Kaie. He came upon a door and pushed it open. Inside he found a small room-Bunny wouldn't have been able to stand upright in it. Looking around he saw a small form in the corner. He slowly approached it, and found a girl curled up in the corner, fast asleep with black sand curling around her. She was pretty, with long white hair with light blue bangs and tips, wearing a silvery dress with black lace sleeves and black lace around the waist and neck. Jack reached out and gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. She didn't wake or even stir at his touch. Bunny appeared in the doorway and cast a shadow across them.

"We need to go, mate." He said, throwing his boomerangs at the approaching nightmares. Jack pulled Kaie into his arms and picked her up. She was alarmingly light and he had no problem carrying her. There was a staff next to her and he grabbed it as well. It was like a jester's staff, black painted wood with a skull on top. He ran ahead of Bunny, who continued to fight the nightmares. When they finally left Pitch's lair, Bunny hastily opened a tunnel and they jumped down into it. There they stopped to catch their breath.

"We found the Lost Spirit." Jack said, adjusting her more comfortably in his arms. Bunny nodded.

"There's black sand all over her." He observed. Jack looked and saw he was right-Pitch's nightmare sand clung to her clothes and hair.

"I think that's how he gained his power so quickly-with her fear."

"By the looks of all the sand, I'd say he's been keeping her asleep."

"Wait, you mean she's been in like a coma for all those years?"

"It's worse than a coma, mate. She's been trapped in a nightmare for practically 300 years." Bunny gently took her in his arms. Jack didn't object.

"C'mon, Frostbite, we'd better get movin'." He said and they continued through the tunnel. When they arrived at the North Pole, Tooth was busy talking to her fairies and Sandy was out spreading his dreams to children.

"Jack, Bunny, you are here." North beamed at them.

"We found her, North. We should get some kind of prize." Jack grinned in return.

"We need to get her to the infirmary." Bunny informed them and North led them there. Bunny carefully laid her down on one of the beds.

"Where'd you find her?" Tooth hovered over their shoulders.

"Pitch had her locked up in his lair." Jack set the jester staff next to her on the bed.

"Pitch?"

"Yeah. He's had her all those years."

"He used his nightmare sand on her and that's how he got his strength back so quickly." Bunny crossed his arms over his chest. The four stayed around Kaie's bed for a while, looking for wounds and trying to wake her, but soon Tooth had to leave to go back to her fairies and North had other business to attend to. Jack, however, stayed by her side. Bunny came and went, though Jack had no idea where he went or why. After a while Bunny came and sat across from Jack in a chair.

"Do you think she'll wake up soon?" Jack asked. Bunny shrugged.

"It's hard to tell, mate. Could be hours, could be days. Could be in a few minutes."

"What's so special about her? Why is she the new Guardian?"

"I guess we won't know till she wakes up." They sat in silence for a few more minutes. Then Kaie stirred, rubbing a hand over her eyes. then her eyes flashed open and a cold breeze filled the room. Sharp blades of ice flung themselves at Bunny and Jack, stopping inches from their faces. Had Jack not grabbed her shoulder, the two of them would have been impaled.

"Hey, kiddo, relax. We're on your side." He said softly.

"Why should I trust you?" she snarled, the blades of ice now pressing against Jack and Bunny's throats.

"Because we're giving you a choice. Did Pitch give you that before he locked you away for 300 years?"

"And why do I have to listen to a single word you say?"

"You don't. If you want, you could slit our throats and leave. But Pitch will come after you, and we want to help you. So those are your options. You can stay, or you can go." He and Bunny held their breath while Kaie seemed thoughtful. Slowly, the ice blades lowered and then disappeared altogether, melting into a puddle on the floor. Jack sighed in relief.

"I'm glad you didn't slit our throats." He smiled at her.

"Frostbite, stay here. I'm going to get North." Bunny said and left to get the Russian.

"Where's Persephone?" she suddenly asked. Her voice was sweet, despite the cold look in her eyes.

"What?"

"Persephone, my cane. Where is it?" Jack instantly jumped up and handed it to her. She ran her hand over the wood. Jack noticed that she still looked tired, with dark circles around her eyes and an almost dazed look. With Persephone in her hand, she seemed more relaxed.

"Where am I, anyway?" she asked, fighting to stay awake.

"You're at the North Pole." Jack smiled.

"And how do I know it's not just another nightmare, that he's not just messing with my head again? And as soon as I let my guard down, something bad will happen. "

"Trust me, Kaie, you're not dreaming." Jack promised.

"In all this time he's never let me wake up. Why has he now?"

"I don't know why Pitch took you, but I do know that he would've kept you there longer if Bunny and I hadn't found you. And we'll protect you from Pitch, whether you decide to become a Guardian or not."

"Become a what?"

"A Guardian. We protect the children of the world from Pitch Black and others who want to threaten them. And we want you to help us."

"No. Humanity and I don't exactly get along. When I was alive-when I was human-they didn't do anything to help me. So now I'm returning the favor." She said stubbornly.

"Hey, it's alright. I didn't want to join at first, either. But I didn't have a problem with the kids-I wasn't too sure about the other Guardians. The Big Four can be pretty intimidating." Jack instantly tried to make her more comfortable, sensing she was uneasy with the topic of her becoming a Guardian. She glanced at him curiously, and then moved closer to him.

"Who are the Big Four?" she asked.

"They're North, Santa Claus, Sandman, though we all call him Sandy, Tooth, and her many tooth fairies, and the Easter Bunny, who you've met already."

"And you? If you're a Guardian, shouldn't you be on the list?"

"I only just became a Guardian six months ago."

"So you're new to this?"

"Yeah, you could say that." Jack smiled.

"But why? Why would you want to help them?"

"Because they can't protect themselves."

"You're right, they can't. But I swear I won't help you protect them."

"Why not?"

"Because they're heartless, and cruel, and evil. They hurt their own kind just because they're different, or they have odd talents." Kaie ranted angrily, eyes flashing. Jack found himself curious and, even though he had a feeling it was a touchy subject, he pried about it.

"I don't want to talk about it." She snapped, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset. I have some pretty bad memories, too. But I also have happy ones." Without even thinking, Jack wrapped an arm around her. At first he was expecting Kaie to stab him with the ice, but to his surprise, she leaned against him instead. Her head rested on her shoulder and her hair tickled his cheek. It was soft, despite the hundreds of years going un-brushed. Her skin was cold, like his, and so he didn't have to worry about accidentally dropping her temperature with his touch. When North and Bunny arrived in the room, Kaie tensed and pressed herself closer to Jack's side.

"Good, she is awake." North smiled at her and she shyly hid her face in Jack's shoulder.

"Looks like you got lucky, mate. She's all shy around you, she threatened me and Frostbite with blades of ice when she first saw us." Bunny grumbled to the big man. North turned to his friend.

"Maybe that's because she doesn't like you, the Easter bunny, as much as me, Santa Clause, the bringer of Christmas."

"Oi, our holidays have nothin' to do with it!" Bunny argued.

"Of course they do, Bunny. Easter is just not as important as Christmas."

"Maybe she's shy of you 'cause you climb down people's chimneys like some kind of creeper." Bunny glared at North.

"Do they always argue like this?" Kaie asked Jack.

"Nope. It's usually worse." Jack grinned down at her. Bunny and North stopped arguing and turned their attention to Kaie and Jack.

"You are Kaie Hayes, correct?" North asked and Kaie nodded.

"Where are you from, Kaie?"

"I was born in Ireland but went to London after my parents died."

"Has Jack told you about us, and our duty to protect children?"

"Yes. He also said you want me to become a Guardian, and I'm not sure if I want to or not."

"That's fine. No one expects you to instantly know what you want to do, Snowflake." Bunny told her with a little smile.

"Take all the time you need, Kaie. We hope you'll decide to join us, and find your center soon." North said before he and Bunny left again. Kaie yawned and Jack set her down against the pillows.

"You should get some rest. I'm sure it'll feel great to not have any nightmares for a change." Jack brushed a hand through her soft hair.

"You'll be here when I wake up?"

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"I promise, Kaie." After that, Kaie fell into an easy sleep, for once not plagued by nightmares.

**Author's note: For 2 weeks I will be taking requests. So if you guys have anything you want me to write, just ask and I'll try my hardest to get that done for you. Hope you all enjoyed!**


	2. Chapter 2

Legend of the Lost Spirit

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians! So here's the second chapter of Legend of the Lost Spirit. I'm sorry I'm taking so long to update but I'm trying to make it good and I'm busy disappointing my parents (like I do every summer). And before I forget, I have no idea what Jack's little sister's name is so I just picked one for her. Anyway, here's the chapter and I hope you like it!**

Chapter 2

Kaie was often away from the Guardians, though no one could say where she was for sure. Jack was the only one who could manage to find her, but he never gave away her secret place. Like Jack was attached to Burgess, Kaie was attached to the mountains that were about an hour from Burgess. Jack was there now, searching the large area for Kaie. He found her sitting by a waterfall that fell into a large pool. Jack approached her slowly.

"Nice place. It's pretty back here." Jack said. She looked up from the water for only a second before turning back to it.

"It's calm. Not very many people to walk through me." she said and Jack's heart ached in sympathy. He knew what it was like to have someone walk through you. It wasn't exactly a fun experience. He sat next to her.

"So what draws you here? Any reason or is it just because of the calmness?" he asked.

"I like the trees."

"The trees?"

"Yes, the trees. I like the way they stand tall, and the way they whisper when the wind flies between them, and the way they provide shade and shadows. And it's gorgeous. I love that most of all. The way it looks and smells. Nature is 100 times better than people, anyway." She froze a butterfly that was flying near their heads, watching it drop like a stone.

"I guess we don't really know much about each other." Jack broke the uncomfortable silence that had fallen between them.

"No, I suppose we don't."

"Then maybe we should try to get to know each other better. How 'bout I tell you something about me, and you'll tell me something about you, and we'll make a game out of it! It could be fun."

"Alright. You go first since it was your idea."

"Ok. Um…before I was Jack Frost, I was Jackson Overland, and I had a little sister named Ivy. My mother, father, sister, and I lived in Burgess. We lived in a little cottage and my mother took care of us whenever my father was out hunting. My sister and I were fond of animals and took in many wounded ones, like raccoons, foxes, even a raven once. So there's my first fun fact." Jack grinned at Kaie.

"Before I became a spirit, my name was exactly the same as it is now, but I lived in Ireland with my mother, father, younger sister Zoe, twin brother Kane, and my older brother Teddy. Kane, Teddy, and I were always playing by the creek outside our house while Zoe stayed inside with Mother. Father owned his own cavern, and we had a nice house and two hounds and Zoe's cat. And now I believe it's your turn."

"When I was seven, my grandmother came over to visit us and brought us presents and we all had fun. Of course, nobody told me or Ivy that she was dying and had come to say goodbye. Within two weeks she was gone, and Mom had to explain to Ivy what it meant to have someone you love die." Jack grinned sheepishly, rubbing a hand through his hair. "I guess that's one of the sad memories, huh?"

"When we, Kane and I, were seven, we were always pulling stupid little pranks on everyone around us. Mother was always so busy taking care of Zoe and Father was so busy at the cavern, neither of them really laughed, so we made it our jobs to make sure they did so. Well one night, when both Mother and Father were home, we told them we would watch Zoe while they had dinner together, so we took her up to our room and told her we were playing hide and seek-she was three then-and then took some chicken blood and covered our hands and clothes in it. After some time we ran back to where our parents were and told them there'd been an accident and that Zoe had wandered in front of a passing cart and been hit. It was Kane's idea, truthfully, but I went along with it anyway. So both of my parents and Teddy ran out to find her and all our neighbors came out carrying candles and as one everybody yelled "Happy Anniversary!" and Kane and I explained what we'd done. They were laughing so hard tears came out of their eyes, and everyone celebrated with us. We had food and music and dancing, and there was a big bon fire in the middle. It was the happiest I'd seen my parents, but it was also the last time they laughed like that." Kaie smiled fondly at the memory.

"So you basically told them you'd killed your little sister and they celebrated because of it?" Jack asked and she pushed him playfully.

"Mine was happier than yours."

"Point proven. Anyway, once when I was nine, my family and my best friend, Gabriel, went to have a picnic together and Gabriel and I thought it'd be hilarious to trick Ivy. So we convinced her there were fairies by the pond nearby, and once we got there we told her the fairies would only come out if she sang a song to them, in the fairy language, of course. So we had her sing some ridiculous language we had made up and I swear, it was like some kind of satanic chant. Naturally, no fairies came, but my parents had come to see what we were doing, and Ivy explained that she was singing to the fairies. My dad just laughed and said that she was singing an Elven song and not a fairy song. So he taught all of us this song in an entirely different language and we stood there for hours singing it, until it got dark and the fireflies came out. Ivy thought they were fairies, and she was so happy, she ran around chasing after them and laughing the whole time. Years later, my dad told me he'd learned the song from a drunk guy and had no clue what it actually meant or what language it was in. I'm still trying to find out what it was we were saying."

"When we were nine, Teddy, who was fourteen, took us on a trip with his friend Mal. We were just going to a town nearby so we could buy a few things we couldn't get in our little village. When we got there, Teddy and Mal gave us some money and told us we could take a look around but couldn't cause any trouble. We ran through all the shops and found a bunch of cool trinkets to buy. We bought Ivy a little porcelain doll and when we were exiting the store, and man bumped into us and we dropped it, causing it to break. Kane was furious, and demanded that the man give us the money to replace it. The man laughed and said "tell you what, boy, if you can beat me in a fight, I'll buy your girlie here another doll." By this point I was annoyed, and I wasn't in the mood to sit back and let some stranger call me girlie, so I punched him as hard as I could in the stomach. When he stumbled back I kept advancing, fighting like my life depended on it. I broke his nose and his glasses and had him on the ground, sitting and his chest and hitting him repeatedly. Everyone was shocked. By the time Mal and Teddy found me, it took them and Kane to pull me off that poor bastard. When they apologized, he laughed and handed me the money, saying "I guess you won, kid. Now go buy that boy his doll." Kane's face was red the rest of the ride home. But Zoe got her doll and every time I went to that town, the man-I later learned his name was Mathew-would buy me anything I wanted from one of the shops. It was also the first fist-fight I'd ever gotten into." Jack laughed.

"I'm sure there were many others." He said. Kaie grinned.

"Yeah. I was real good at hitting. Only lost one fight. But enough about me. It's your turn to tell a story."

"Alright. Well, when I was thirteen, there was this tree that Ivy, me, and our friends always went to. It was the tallest one in the area, and one day, I decided I'd climb it. Gabriel and our other friend Conor wanted to go with me, so we all climbed that tree together. Once we got to the top, we all lounged around, joking and having a good time. Ivy and a few of the girls we knew were on the ground waiting for us, and even from as high up as we were, we could see they looked worried. Conor waved to them, smiling, and then the branch he was on broke. He fell all the way to the bottom and it seemed like he hit every single branch on his way down. Gabriel and I scrambled down after him and had to help him limp back to the village. He broke his arm and cursed that tree every time we walked past it. He refused to sit underneath it. Claimed he was afraid the tree would break and land on his head. We always teased him about that." Jack listened to Kaie laugh. It was a lovely laugh, really. Practically musical, like the ringing of soft, sweet bells.

"Thirteen wasn't exactly the best year for us. In fact, it was a horrible year. When we were thirteen there were lots of conflicts over the land. Someone named Jedadiah Cross claimed there was no use to the trees and that we should cut them down. Some people agreed, many didn't. In the end, lots of people turned against each other. Neighbors who were the best of friends stopped talking to each other and even families were being broken apart. Kane, Teddy, and I loved the trees, and fought against anyone who tried to cut them down. Mal would help sometimes, but his father was one of the men of Cross's side and Mal feared his father's anger. One day we heard some gun shots outside, and Father made us stay inside with Mother and Zoe while he and Teddy went to see what was happening. Some of Cross's men were drunk and shooting at our friend Peter and his family. Before Mother could stop us, we rushed out to help Teddy and Father. Father was calmly telling the men to drop their guns while Teddy helped the weeping Ms. Smith back to their house, Peter and his older sister following them. One of the men threw his arm to the right and shot his gun, just to upset Father. He hit Kane right in the forehead. I was standing so close to him, his blood splattered on my face. Later the man swore he never saw him standing there, but he was still hung for his crimes. And that was the year we became I."

"I'm sorry." Jack breathed, and Kaie knew he meant it. He was saying it because he truly felt sorry about what had happened, not because it was one of those polite lies people told you because they thought it helped.

"Sometimes I forget he's gone. There were times I'd turn to tell him something and then remember what happened."

"When I was sixteen, I took Ivy ice skating on the lake by our house. When we were out, the ice under her feet started cracking, so I saved her. But I ended up caught on the thin ice and fell through. That was the year I died and became Jack Frost." Jack said after a few moments of silence.

"I didn't live to be sixteen. When I was fifteen, I was living in London with my uncle because my parents and remaining siblings had died. The townspeople swore I was a witch, and burned me at the stake."

"What?!" Jack squeaked in surprise. Kaie smiled almost bitterly.

"They claimed I was studying witchcraft because I was always so independent. Growing up as Kane's other half, I knew a lot more about being wild and free instead of cleaning and following orders, like girls were supposed to do. And I refused to get a husband, which was pretty much expected of me. So they all claimed I was the devil's minion and that I knew black magic so they killed me. Though I would've much preferred hanging instead of burning."

"Most people would've preferred living…"

"There was no way I was getting out of that alive, so I would've preferred a quick death than an agonizingly slow one." She said it as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. They fell into silence.

"Now that I've heard your story, I don't blame you for not wanting to help them. But at the same time, it's foolish to hold a grudge on people for something they didn't do."

"You're right, Jack. It's foolish and childish and stupid, but I can't help it. Every time I feel like I might want to do something nice for one of them, I remember how the people who called themselves my friends tied me to a wooden post and lit the edge of my skirt on fire. It wasn't even the smoke that killed me-it was the flames. They made sure it was the flames. And no matter how much I cried or begged, no one could find it in their hearts to find even the smallest amount of sympathy for me. They sat there and watched as I was burned alive and not one of them shed a tear for me, or thought twice about doing what they did. They didn't even mourn me, Jack. Before this Pitch Black person kidnapped me I saw the village after I had died and they whispered about how they were glad I was gone so that I could no longer poison the minds of their children." she stood up, eyes flashing dangerously, gripping Persephone so hard her knuckles were white. Before he could say anything, she was gone, disappearing like smoke on the wind. Jack sat there for several moments and stared at the space she had once occupied, knowing that he had said the completely wrong thing and that he should search for her and apologize. His eyes found the frozen butterfly and he sighed, unable to move. After what seemed like forever even though it was only ten minutes, he went to the one person he felt he could discuss Kaie with: E. Aster Bunnymund.


	3. Chapter 3

Legend of the Lost Spirit

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians! So here's the third chapter of Legend of the Lost Spirit. I'm sorry I'm taking so long to update but I'm trying to make it good and I'm busy with school and everything. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Reviews are appreciated. **

Chapter 3

Bunnymund could tell by the sudden chill that Frost had entered the Warren. He got ready for the kid to come out and bug him, but he stayed relevantly quiet.

"Hey, Bunny." He greeted, perching on the branch of a tree.

"What do ya want, Frostbite?" Bunny asked, not looking up from his eggs.

"Relax, Bunny, I'm not here to annoy you." Jack responded, smirking slightly. The two fell into silence. After a few minutes, Jack broke it.

"Bunny?" he asked uncertainly. Bunny grunted to let Jack know he was listening.

"How long does it take to burn a human?" Jack questioned. Bunny stopped his work and turned to look at the boy.

"Why the bloody hell would you want to know that?" he gave Jack a weird look.

"Just curious. Now answer the question."

"I don't know. Five, ten minutes?"

"That long?"

"Well in truth, I think the smoke would suffocate a person before they burned. But it could take a while, I think. But it's not like I used to run around with matches setting people's beds on fire."

"What, the Easter kangaroo was never a crazy killer?" Jack asked, acting more like himself.

"I thought you said you weren't here to irritate me." Bunny grumbled.

"I'm not, honestly! I just wanted to talk…" Jack's voice trailed off. Bunny had never seen him to unsure of himself before. He nodded.

"I'll listen to what you have to say, Frostbite." He promised and Jack's eyes lit up like fireworks before he rambled about his and Kaie's conversations. Bunny listened closely. When Jack was done, Bunny finally spoke.

"After hearing her background story, you can see why she's iffy on the Guardian subject." He said. He and Jack were sitting in the shade of the tree, Jack lightly leaning against the Pooka's furry form.

"I know. But maybe if she got some Believers, she'd realize that not all people are bad."

"How do you suggest we get her Believers?"

"I don't know. Maybe I could talk to Jamie and see if I could get him to believe in her."

"Maybe you should get to know her a little more first, Frostbite. Knowing her past isn't the same as knowing her as a person. She may react the wrong way if you introduce her to Jamie." Bunny warned. Jack sighed.

"I guess you're right. But as far as I know, all she does is sit in the mountains where there are no people."

"That can't be all she does."

"Well I know there must be something else she does to pass the time, but I don't know what." Jack replied. Bunny gave him an exasperated look.

"Then find out, ya bloody idiot." He exclaimed and Jack flashed him an annoyed look.

"I'll have you know, it's not as easy as it looks. But, because you asked so nicely, I'll try." He said and was gone, looking for Kaie. It took him almost six hours for him to find her. When he did, he found her in her normal spot, but not alone. A teenage girl, probably around 14, with long dirty blonde hair was sitting on her knees in front of the water, sobbing. Kaie was sitting next to her, but of course she didn't see the spirit. Jack noticed that the girl was holding a blade to her wrist, and that Kaie was talking to her.

"I know it seems hopeless now, but it can get better. And a lot of people will tell you to just deal with your problems and get on with it and not to be so weak. But I'm not other people. It's all up to you, sweetheart. You can end it, which isn't what I would recommend, but if you feel you can't cope with what happening in your life, you can take it all away. Or, you can put down the knife and pray that it'll get better someday. I can't guarantee that it will, but you'll never know if you give up now. Life is hard, and I'm proud of you for making it this far. So please, please, just put this behind you and just _try_ to laugh and enjoy your life before you throw it all away." Kaie's voice was gentle, and even though the girl couldn't _see_ Kaie, it appeared as though she could _hear _her. Once Kaie's little speech was over, the girl gave a shaky laugh and let the blade fall from her hands and to the ground. Kaie kicked it into the water.

"I don't know if I'm talking to myself or if there really is someone looking out for me, but either way, I think you're right. I should wait and see if something good happens. And it should, right? I mean, good balances out the bad and God knows there have been a lot of horrible things in my life, so there must be some positive thing that will happen to me later." The girl said. Jack was amazed. Not only had Kaie stopped this girl from ending her life, but she had been able to communicate with a non-believer. Kaie stood up and walked over to where a bunch of tiger lilies grew. Taking one in her hand and carefully freezing the petals, she pulled it from the ground and walked back to where the girl sat, lying the frozen flower next to her.

"You're not talking to yourself. And I'll always be here for you, sweetheart." she assured her before leaving. Jack had been hiding so she couldn't find him, and now followed her. She stopped in Burgess, where some children were playing. Jack's eyes roamed to the Bennett house, where his first and favorite believer lived. A group of children were playing in their yard and one little boy fell hard on the ground and started to cry. Kaie was instantly crouching next to him, her cupping her hands around his ear and whispering something in his ear. As soon as she pulled away, the boy wiped his tears away and giggled before standing up. Kaie was gone just as the parents of the child came out. After watching her do this several more times with several more children, Jack confronted her.

"So, you hate humans and refuse to get involved with them." Jack's voice behind her made her jump and spin to face him. He was standing on the top of his shepherd crook, smirking.

"Unless," he added, "there's a child crying."

"What's your point?" Kaie asked icily.

"Relax, Kaie, I'm really not here to attack you with requests about you joining the Guardians." He told her. She hit Persephone against the side of her leg. She was still wearing her long dress, and was getting rather tired of it.

"I should be going. And I'd be glad if you stopped following me." she said. Before she could leave, Jack grabbed her wrist.

"Kaie, I just want to make sure you're alright. I don't want Pitch to get his hands on you again." He said sincerely.

"I appreciate your concern, Jack, but I can take care of myself." She pulled her wrist out of his grasp and was gone, the wind carrying her away far faster than it had ever taken Jack. Once Kaie landed, she looked around for a new outfit. It was getting dark so there weren't a lot of people in the shops. Finding one that had closed for the night, she had the wind open the door for her and she entered. She searched around for quite some time, searching for something she liked. She finally settled on a long sleeved light blue shirt that rested just above her bellybutton and a sleeveless dark blue hoodie of the same length with a pair of jeans with one dark blue leg and one light blue leg. Finding a pair of brown combat boots, she put those on as well and pulled her hair into high pigtails, tying them in place with a black ribbon and braiding the ribbon through her hair. Once she was satisfied with her reflection, she went back to visit Amelia. She found her at her window, placing the frozen water lily Kaie had left her in a small vase on her vanity table and fingering the frozen petals lovingly. Once she knew Amelia was alright, she went back to her lonely spot. In all truth, she kind of regretted leaving Jack. She found she enjoyed his company, even if she still didn't want to become a Guardian. As she curled up on the ground and the wind wrapped around her like a blanket, she allowed the lullaby of the wolves to sing her to sleep.


End file.
